Death Howl
Death Howl is a turn-based strategy video game developed by The Outer Zone and published by 11 Bit Studios, released on December 9, 2025 on Windows. The game launched on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on February 19, 2026. Developer The Outer Zone is based in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Death Howl
- Date
- 2025
- Publisher
- Death Howl was published by 11 Bit Studios.
- Language
- English · French
- Genre
- deck-building video game
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Death Howl is a turn-based strategy video game developed by The Outer Zone and published by 11 Bit Studios, released on December 9, 2025 on Windows. The game launched on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on February 19, 2026. Developer The Outer Zone is based in Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q131787305 · wikipedia · Death Howl
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Title — Death Howl • Developer — The Outer Zone • Publisher — 11 Bit Studios • Released — Windows December 9, 2025 Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X/S February 19, 2026 • Genre — Turn-based strategy, soulslike • Modes — Single-player • Platforms — * Windows • Nintendo Switch • PlayStation 5 • Xbox Series X/S
Gameplay
Gameplay
The player explores areas of the spirit world, battling with its inhabitants in a turn-based battle, using various cards from their deck. Each used card as well as each move on the tile field costs energy points; new cards can be crafted from resources left from a defeated enemy. The player can travel around the map, divided into distinct regions, interacting with different NPCs. Each of four spiritual realms is built around a different mechanic, like discarding or taking damage or receiving vital boosts by repeating a realm's favored action over time. The player can also take sidequests by encountering spirits and fulfilling their will, which give various items or resources.
Plot
Plot
The game is set in Mesolithic Scandinavia in 6000 BC. The protagonist named Ro journeys into the spirit world seeking for Death after her son dies. In her quest to get him back, she seeks help from the land's four great spirits to reach the summit of the howling mountain. Along the way, she encounters a variety of surreal spirits, most of which she has to defeat in combat.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
- Denmark
Named but not plotted · 1
Death Howl is associated with Denmark.
Country
Reception
Death Howl received generally favorable reviews from critics, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic assessed that the game received strong approval, being recommended by 85% of critics. Reviewing the game for Destructoid, Rachel Samples lauded Death Howl as "a harrowing, punishing, and visually striking game about grief and survival" as well as "a fantastic representation of both the deckbuilding and soulslike genres". Samples further praised the art style, exploration, storytelling, and balanced gameplay difficulty while offering some criticism toward the sometimes "wonky" controller support. In his review for PCMag, Vincent Peter praised the "grief-stricken vibes and breathtaking gorgeous visuals", writing, story, and core gameplay loop while criticizing the lack of accessibility options. The game has been described as "refreshing" and "well-crafted" compared to other soulslike games. Some reviewers noted the harshness of battle system, that "throws you into the spirit world, hands you five basic cards, and says "good luck"". The game's emotionality, unique art style and deep story were also often highlighted.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Death Howl”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q131787305: Death Howl
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Stone, Abbie. This hybrid of deckbuilder and soulslike is the most gloriously vicious game of 2025. PC Gamer. 2025-12-19.
- 2.Death Howl - Official Console Announcement Trailer. IGN India. 2026-01-22.
- 3.TheOuterZone. itch.io.
- 4.Greywood, Lyssa. How to Play Death Howl (A Beginner's Guide). Screen Hype. 2025-12-09.
- 5.Harte, Charles. Death Howl Review - A Spirited Shuffle. Game Informer. 2025-12-09.
- 6.Metacritic. Death Howl PC Critic Reviews.
- 7.OpenCritic. Death Howl.
- 8.Samples, Rachel. Death Howl review – A soulslike deckbuilder that turns sorrow into strategy. Destructoid. December 23, 2025.
- 9.Peter, Vincent. Death Howl Review. PCMag. December 11, 2025.
- 10.Death Howl Beginner's Guide: How to Actually Play This Brutal Deckbuilder. NeonLightsMedia. 2025-12-14.
- 11.Reinfuss, Wiktor. 'Death Howl' Game Review: Unique Combination Gameplay Awaits. The Cosmic Circus. 2026-01-06.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Collectables
20,755 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Death Crimson OXWork
- Death DuelWork
- Death GateWork
- Death HorizonWork
- Death Jr.Work
- Death Jr. and the Science Fair of DoomWork
- Death Knights of KrynnWork
- Death Note Kira GameWork
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